The timing of surgical intervention in vocal cord paralysis.
Surgical alteration of the glottis for treatment of vocal cord paralysis is best deferred as long as there is a reasonable chance for spontaneous recovery. Most authors recommend waiting six to 12 months before surgery. However, the literature provides insufficient data to support this concept. This paper presents a group of patients with a thorough analysis of natural history, and other factors considered in planning surgical therapy.
D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005931:Glottis / Q000601:surgery*; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous; D013997:Time Factors; D014826:Vocal Cord Paralysis / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*